Friday (the 13th) Questions

Wow.  Two scary days in a row -- Friday the 13th and then Valentine's Day.  For a little distraction here are some Friday Questions. 

Michelle L. leads off:

I just recently read "Why Are You So Sad" by Jason Porter. One of the characters is obsessed with M*A*S*H, and is a somewhat depressed man because he didn't grow up to be Hawkeye. The fact that I somewhat related to him freaked me out a bit. What would you say to fans that become too obsessed with TV shows?

First off all, I’m depressed that I didn’t grow up to be Hawkeye either.

Like everything else, when a TV show becomes an obsession it can’t be healthy.

On the one hand you want people to identify with your show but not to where they attach their self worth to it.

This topic was addressed hilariously in my favorite all-time SNL sketch -- William Shatner speaks at a Star Trek convention. This video has snippets of it.



Bottom line, binge watch the shows, buy the companion book, engage in social media discussions of the show, buy a signed script, visit the exhibit if there is one, but don’t have your ears surgically altered to look like a Vulcan.

Joseph Scarbrough asks:

I've noticed on M*A*S*H that a few of Margaret's big episodes ("Hot Lips and Empty Arms," for example) were written by Linda Bloodworth & Mary Kay Place. Is it common among writing staffs for certain characters to be assigned to certain writers?

It’s not uncommon. Writers can sometimes channel certain characters. Linda & Mary Kay really had a great feel for Hot Lips (sorry, I never refer to the character as Margaret – force of habit over many years), and at the time they were trying to give the character more dimension so having two women writers added richness.  It also helped that they were two great writers. 

(I channeled Radar. What does that say about me?)

Another example is the Rhoda character on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW. Treva Silverman (pictured: right) was her voice, especially early on when the character was being formed. Find your favorite Rhoda episodes and you’ll see they were written by Treva Silverman.

From Rick Wiedmayer:

How many writers are on a show typically? Does the show runner make that decision and hand out the writing assignments?

Typically yes, working within the show’s budget. Sitcoms today have much larger staffs than in decades past. There can be ten to fifteen writers on a show. On MASH, David Isaacs and I had a staff of two. On the first year of CHEERS the fulltime staff was Levine & Isaacs and the Charles Brothers.
But staffs have grown to where, in some cases, there are two writing rooms. And I must say I’m all for it – more jobs for writers.

That said, if I ran a show today I would hire a smaller staff of writers who I really trusted. I just think it’s more efficient. Try getting fifteen people to agree on anything. But that’s me and I’m not running a show.

Showrunners do hand out the script assignments, unless it's a show like BIG BANG THEORY that's all room written.  Then credits are just "assigned," which is a joke.

And finally, from Ian:

Kelsey Grammer and John Ratzenberger are both outspoken conservatives. Rob Long has written for conservative magazines. Did the cast and crew of Cheers ever argue about political issues behind the scenes?

Not that I recall although I wasn’t on the set most of the time. Kelsey and John were less outspoken back then.

Rob Long was always happy to debate the issues in the room and the Republican Party would be wise to recruit him to replace Karl Rove. In addition to being smart, articulate, and seeing things with perspective, he’s probably the funniest Republican in the party.

And by the way, just as it’s good to have characters with different points-of-view, so too in the writers room. I’d hire Rob on any show I do. But again, I’m not doing a show.

What’s your Friday Question?

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Great advice for young TV writers

... that doesn't come from me.  It's from Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who is currently the showrunner of Syfy’s “Helix.”   He posted a series of Tweets that blogger Kate O'Hare compiled (You still with me?  I know -- lots of names being tossed around.)    His advice was terrific (read: I agree with it) and worth passing on.  You can find it here.   I especially appreciate his suggestion that young scribes write specs for existing shows, not just pilots.  He'll tell you why.

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Bob Dylan Sings Frank Sinatra

As strange at that seems, it's true. As per the press release:

Bob Dylan has released Shadows in the Night, a studio album featuring interpretations of Frank Sinatra tracks. The collection of 10 songs and standards was released today via Columbia Records, and marks the first new music from Dylan in three years.

Produced by Jack Frost, it will be the 36th studio album from Bob Dylan, and follows the release of the rewired Sinatra hit Full Moon and Empty Arms last spring. “It was a real privilege to make this album,” Dylan said in a statement. “I’ve wanted to do something like this for a long time, but was never brave enough to approach 30-piece complicated arrangements and refine them down for a five-piece band.” 

Yes, I'm sure his interpretations will be unique.  Here is a brief sample:

 STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

Bob: Sjejekttj liw  e keuhtkt... eheilzhlty uwtyhpaghheeitnyleyghalmehseimlqnusrrnnyhg.

LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Bob: Sjejekttj liw  e keuhtkt... eheilzhlty uwtyhpaghheeitnyleyghalmehseimlqnusrrnnyhg.

ONE FOR MY BABY

Bob: Sjejekttj liw  e keuhtkt... eheilzhlty uwtyhpaghheeitnyleyghalmehseimlqnusrrnnyhg.

and of course, NEW YORK NEW YORK.  Sell it, Bob!

Bob: Sjejekttj liw  e keuhtkt... eheilzhlty uwtyhpaghheeitnyleyghalmehseimlqnusrrnnyhg.

I can't wait for his duet salute to Steve & Eydie with Bjork.

Here is brilliant Drew Friedman's vision of what the album cover should be.

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Brian Williams, Jon Stewart, Kanye, Uma, and random (a)musings

In no particular order of importance:

Comedy Central – please don’t let Larry Wilmore replace Jon Stewart.

Like everyone else, I’m bummed about Stewart leaving THE DAILY SHOW. How will Millennials get their news now?

But seriously, it is not a national tragedy.  Note to everyone on Facebook:  He didn't die. 

So Brian Williams is suspended for six months. It’s the right call. Let the story blow over, and by the time he returns people will be wondering what the big deal was. Plus, forty more women will have come out saying Cosby drugged them.

Williams will get big ratings upon his return. Depending on how big, NBC may ask Al Michaels to say he killed Bin Laden.

Allison’s father might have been fired if (a) his numbers weren’t good, and (b) NBC had anyone else in the wings. Sorry, but Lester Holt is not the answer. Where’s Ann Curry when we need her?

Kanye West is an asshole, and I hope somebody gets him a front row ticket for the Oscars. Wouldn’t you love to see him storm the stage slamming the Academy because SELMA didn’t win Best Picture?

I can’t wait for baseball.

Uma Thurman must've said to her plastic surgeon -- make me look like Joni Mitchell.

High today here in LA: 88.  No need for the CNN Blizzard Mobile.

And a recent article claims that Los Angeles now has better pastrami than New York.  Soon we'll lead them in heart attacks too. 

I'm having withdrawals until THE GOOD WIFE returns.  

The best baseball beat writer in America may be Tom Gage who covers the Tigers for the Detroit News. After thirty years of brilliant reporting, his paper has said thank you by taking him off the assignment.

I guess they feel that as long as people need to wrap their dead fish there will always be a need for the Detroit News.  But it was bush league.

Who do you think should replace Jon Stewart?  If someone says Carson Daly I'm deleting it.

Networks are casting their comedy and drama pilots – all with familiar faces.  The people you rejected last year will be back this year. 

I love how in Europe, in anticipation of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, stores are stocking up on rope and tape. What, no rushed orders for helicopters and gliders?

Huffington Post Headline from yesterday: NOW WE KNOW HOW MANY LICKS IT TAKES TO REACH THE CENTER OF A LOLLIPOP. Another mystery of life revealed.

The NBA All-Star Game is coming up. Prediction: West 187, East 184 in another defensive battle.

After a disappointing season, JUSTIFIED has come back strong for it’s final hurrah. Comedy Central could do worse than getting Boyd Crowder to replace Jon Stewart.

Why would ANYONE care what Jenny McCarthy says about ANYTHING EVER?

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a tribute to a friend and brilliant disc jockey, Lee Baby Simms. Going back through old archives, it turns out he was a contributor to this blog. I wrote a post about getting fired from a radio station just before Christmas. Lots of you chimed in with similar stories. And then this:

Y`all, please quit yer bitchin`.
Forty years in the business.
25 markets. 36 stations. 41 jobs.
Fired 25 times.
I loved every minute of it.
Lee Baby.
Merry Christmas.

I'll miss Lee Baby Simms.  And Jon Stewart.  Brian Williams?  I can hang on for six months. 

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Shows that work in syndication and shows that don't

Okay, this is my theory. And it's based on no empirical facts. Zero research. Not one shred of supporting evidence. So needless to say, I feel very confident about it.

It is my contention that people watch first-run television differently than when they watch reruns on cable channels. And as such, shows that play well in one instance play less well in the other.

Example: Serialized dramas. You eat ‘em up the first time. But once you’ve seen ‘em – "Next?"  LOST has not done well in syndication. Neither has THE SOPRANOS. You watch, you binge, you’re done.

On the other hand, shows like LAW & ORDER and NCIS, they’re ideal for late night viewing. Video nightlights. They’re self-contained. Not so complicated that you have to pay strict attention. And you can see them again and again. There are a lot of people who have seen the first forty-five minutes of 200 episodes of LAW & ORDER but have never seen an ending because they fall asleep. So the episodes will be forever new. Genius!

On the comedy side – first a disclaimer. I LOVE LUCY and MASH are anomalies and in a category all their own. They adhere to no rules. They are special, unique, beloved, and will continue to be attract large audiences as long as there are flickering images on a screen of any size. I’m talking about the other 99.999999% of sitcoms.

My sense is that multi-camera shows play better in syndication. Why? Because they’re more joke-centric. Compare THE BIG BANG THEORY and MODERN FAMILY. Both do extremely well in first-run. But BBT performs way better than MF in syndication.

MODERN FAMILY is a wonderful show and worthy of all the Emmys it’s received. But it’s one of those shows you need to pay attention to. There are amusing situations and lots of throwaway lines and moments. Many goodies for those willing to give it the effort. But once you’ve seen an episode of MODERN FAMILY, do you really want to watch it again three or four times?

THE BIG BANG THEORY, and FRIENDS, and SEINFELD, and EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, and GOLDEN GIRLS are shows you can easily re-watch countless times. They’re comfort food. Along the way, you can be reasonably assured of three or four laughs – even if they’re laughs you’ve seen. In fact, in the case of SEINFELD, if you’re like me, you’re thrilled when one of your favorite episodes comes on. I could watch “sponge worthy” and “shrinkage” on an endless loop.

Single camera shows struggle in syndication. 30 ROCK sputtered. SCRUBS never approached the success of FRIENDS.

I think multi-camera shows work better because they’re essentially radio shows. CHEERS was consciously a radio show with visuals. When you have the TV on in the early evening, you’re preparing dinner, checking the mail, catching up on Facebook, drinking heavily, etc. You’re not actually watching the show most of the time. But it’s still easy to follow because it’s very dialogue driven.

And it all goes back to my other completely unsubstantiated theory that people want to laugh. Early evening or late night sitcoms function to provide a little light entertainment, a pleasant diversion. Multi-camera shows work harder to provide laughs.

You may disagree, and I realize I could better defend my position if I had a single morsel of evidence to back me up, but putting aside the inevitable exceptions I stand by my theory. And who knows? There’s even the slight possibility that I’m right.

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THE LAST FIVE YEARS -- My review

Usually movie musicals are lavish spectacles. Hugh Jackman and a thousand peasants. Julie Andrews and Nazis. Giant budgets, and in the case of INTO THE WOODS, giants. Very rarely does a movie based on a musical play in art houses. Most open big in glorious Technicolor in movie palaces that once showed SPARTACUS and SUPER FLY.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS, which opens this week in New York, LA, and maybe your town if TRANSFORMERS 5 isn’t still playing, is a small but delightful movie musical. (I understand it may also be available on VOD.)  If you’re into musicals or are already familiar with the show this is just your dish, but even if you’re only a casual fan of people breaking out into song in Manhattan without being arrested (like me) you’ll thoroughly enjoy this film.

Before I discuss the story and the score, let’s first get to the big reason to see it: ANNA KENDRICK.

LAST FIVE YEARS is essentially a two-hander, and Jeremy Jordon holds his own nicely, but Anna Kendrick is luminous. You’ve heard her sing in PITCH PERFECT and (for those that saw it) INTO THE WOODS, and you’ve seen her act in UP IN THE AIR. There’s no question, she’s the real deal. And in this film she just lights up the screen. She’s funny, touching, adorable, heartbreaking, and playful, which is hard to do all in one song.

The story itself is rather ingenious. It follows the five year relationship of a young couple, Cathy & Jamie, but through each of their sides. In Jamie’s case the show moves from the beginning to the end of their relationship. In Cathy’s version it goes from the break-up to their meeting. In the theatrical version, they alternate scenes, singing solo on stage. The only time the two actually are on stage together is when their stories intersect in the middle.

What writer/director Richard LaGravenese has cleverly devised is a way to have them both in every scene, and it makes all the difference in the world seeing them able to relate to each other throughout. (And it means more screen time for Anna.)

The story is told almost entirely in song.

For that to work, obviously the songs better be great. And in this case, they are. Written by Jason Robert Brown (who has more Tonys than shelf space), and semi-autobiographical, the songs are filled with emotion, keen observations, humor, and depth. I saw a preview of the film and would cheerfully see it again. You couldn’t drag me to see LES MISERABLES a second time.

Assuming it’s playing in your city… or state or you can access VOD, check out LAST FIVE YEARS. Did I mention it stars Anna Kendrick?

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Just 'cause they don't change your words...

...doesn't mean they still can't screw up your scene. Here’s an example: It’s from VOLUNTEERS written by me and David Isaacs.

The setting is Thailand 1962. Lawrence (Tom Hanks) and Beth (Rita Wilson) are in the Peace Corps. They’ve helped build a big wooden bridge over the river for this tiny village. But now they learn that communists and a war lord will be using it to invade them in a few hours. So along with Lawrence’s sidekick, At, they hastily start packing. The fun of the scene is that Beth misunderstands something Lawrence says and it leads her to the idea of blowing up the bridge. And later Lawrence blurts out that he loves her. And even he’s surprised. But it all has to happen fast. The director shot our words exactly as written but instead of shooting it as a frenetic scene he made it slow and rueful. So to me it made no sense.

Here’s the scene. Imagine it both ways. Which do you think works best?

INT. LAWRENCE’S CLUB – NIGHT

Our three heroes have returned soaked. Ai Po (the town elder) sits solemnly at the bar.

CAMERA STARTS on the bridge and pulls back to reveal the back of Beth’s head, facing it.

BETH
Our bridge. Our beloved Goddamn bridge.

She turns to face the interior where Lawrence and At are on the floor, catching their breath.

LAWRENCE
At, my pathetic little friend, are you all right?

AT
I’m fine. So I die before I ever have a woman. I helped build a bridge and some fat guys touched me. I had a full life.

LAWRENCE
If you want any more of it we’d better get going. At seven a.m. this morning all Hell’s gonna break loose.

BETH
You didn’t tell me it was seven o’clock. Jesus, there’s no time to lift a finger –

LAWRENCE
Just one of those days, I guess. At, up and at ‘em. I’ve gotta get my dope, my booze – you know, the essentials.

They rise and start collecting booze, etc.

BETH
Oh, my God, how did this happen? All the speeches… all the promises…

AT
I’m taking my grandfather.

LAWRENCE
All right. Just jam some hooch into his jumper.

AT
What about our genuine Persian carpet?

LAWRENCE
Tear it down. We’ll roll it up around your grandfather.

Beth whirls around.

BETH
Tear it down – of course! We have the dynamite. We’ll just blow the bridge to bits.

LAWRENCE
Beth, we’re in kind of a hurry here –

BETH
Blow it to bits – Lawrence, that’s a brilliant idea. We’ll show those war-mongers that the people won’t stand for their tyranny.

LAWRENCE
At, tell he it can’t be done.

AT
Should have been done in the first place. I’ll help you, Beth.

LAWRENCE
(picks up Beth)
Thank you, At.

BETH
Put me down!

LAWRENCE
Beth, don’t be crazy.

BETH
Leave me alone, I’ll do it myself.

LAWRENCE
I won’t let you.

BETH
Why?

LAWRENCE
Because I love you… Who said that?

BETH
If you love me, you’ll help me.

LAWRENCE
Now I know I didn’t say that.

BETH
Lawrence, you can’t have me unless you blow up the bridge.

LAWRENCE
That’s blackmail. Okay, fine. If that’s what it’ll take, I’ll blow up your silly bridge. I’ve done crazier things.

Lawrence and At start to move off.

BETH
No, wait. I’m sorry. I know you think the right thing can be done for the wrong reason, but for me motives are important. Lawrence, you can’t be part of this if you’re doing it for yourself.

AT
What have you learned, Dorothy?

LAWRENCE
Alright, fine. I’m blowing up the bridge for me, I’m blowing up the bridge for you, for At, for the people, for America! Please, just let me blow up the goddamn bridge!

A beat, then:

BETH
You really do love me.

LAWRENCE
Yes, I do. Can we go now?

BETH
Right away.

LAWRENCE
Thank you! Thank you very much!

Beth and At run out. Lawrence follows, figuring out what just happened.

LAWRENCE
(muttering to himself)
I think I’ve just changed my mind about grad school.

Lawrence exits.

This is a re-post from six years ago.  Whattaya think?  Too soon?

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